Senate Bill Would Ban Hand-Held Cell Phone Use In Cars

Raleigh, NC -- State lawmakers are considering a ban on hand-held cell phones behind the wheel.

The bill has made it to the Senate and now to the Senate Appropriations Committee for consideration on Thursday. The ban would not affect hands-free phones. Violators would be fined $100. The bill also, calls for $10,000 to enforce the existing ban on school bus drivers using mobile phones.

Seven states and the District of Columbia have banned hand-held cell phone use while driving. A study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety looked at four states with hand-held cell phone bans. Research showed accident rates held steady.

However, safety advocates look to a National Safety Council study that shows drivers are four times more likely to crash while talking on a cell phone.